


I'll never die

by PurplelaVanilla



Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL Brothers, Brothers, Character Death, D Brothers, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-01 21:57:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplelaVanilla/pseuds/PurplelaVanilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some place—somewhere from someone, Sabo's heard that: "A man dies when he is forgotten."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I'll be going

Q: When do people die?

A:  _'It's when...they_ _are_ _forgotten.'_

Dr. Hiluluk

It's the bloody brutally from the Marine that reels the journalist in – hook, line and sinker.

His pen falls down; five fingers tremble non-stop.

Luckily she catches it, "Azuma?" his colleague asks in concern. "You okay?"

"Yes." this is a lie, "It's just that I don't know h-how anyone can't feel a bit-…just a bit. I know they're pirates and all but, they're still human, right? Look at them! They're brothers I think, and…" grounding himself to a halt, the journalist feels he's rambling and sympathising way more than he should.

His arm reaches across his face, fiercely and briskly wiping two eyes.

There are no tears at all. Only pesky particles of dust, at least that's what he tells himself.

"Sorry. Don't know what came over me."

"Sorry, about what? I get it, Azuma."

"Get what?" he challenges, his slight anger an arrow with no target to throw itself at.

"Get that – them. Think you're the only one affected?"

"But they're outlaws."

She sighs heavily, refusing to roll her eyes at the obvious, "No shit, Sherlock. They're affiliation and actions make 'em outlaws. Outlaws who'd jump in front of another without hesitation." Outlaws who's actions are so humane – she doesn't say. "Makes you think, huh?"

"More like makes you cry." he says when she herself fiercely and briskly wipes dust from her eyes.

. . . .

It's a big known fact that fraternization with the enemy is big NO-NO for all Marines dealing with pirates/other outlaws. There's no ifs ands or buts allowed; however, sympathy is a "-try not to. They brought it on themselves." type of speech. It's described as a grey-coloured moral abyss than a black or white shade of morality.

Nonetheless the 'white' morality of Akainu is gradually mixing with a 'black' hue. Cause and effect are not harmonising with each other now. The conspicuous context in the content won't allow it. This is why in the end, a punch through the gut by a fist for the convicted is permissible; Sippenhaft is not outlawed. However, the convicted's brother (an outlaw too, more so, an anarchist) taking the blow instead is a beacon of morality in a sea of absolute justice.

Unless one is a psychopath, how can a Marine not sympathise, if not show itty-bitty pity for the inevitable soon to occur?

Though it's contrary in human nature, Bartholomew Kuma has read and recorded to memory,  _'...no greater love than to lay one's life for one's friends._ _'_ in this particular case it's for a brother—nakama. A friend nonetheless.

Perhaps it's no wonder that several standpoints are wavering for a few itty-bitty minutes. Frankly, you couldn't pay a beggar off a street to watch this NC-17 scene, willingly. Nope. Absolutely no amount of bellis would be worth the nightly, terrorising dreams to come later. This scene is physically painful to watch (a major figure in history – extremely eccentric, forces himself to, clenching his fists tightly). Several heads do turn away, Good and Bad alike, averting their eyes elsewhere—anywhere but there.

There, on the battlefield where a young man (who sure as hell won't live pass thirty) staggers and stumbles and sways across the ground, side to side. His movements are coordinated no longer, legs of his are unable to support his weight, unable to dismiss the heavy blow delivered not meant for him; nevertheless; inadvertently him anyway. The young man possessing morbid curiosity, inquisitive by nature allows his five fingers to skim and feel the missing entity—the gaping void—his non existent gut.

He almost can't believe it—almost. Just imagine that: one's liver, stomach, intestines and the rest reduced to nothing in a matter of seconds?

It hardly took effort. So despite losing the swimming know-how, devil fruit's are a bunch of amazingly scary yet, shit/crap/something illegal-tasting fruits...

Understandably boneless, a young captain's brown eyes permanently lock onto the unfolding scene, willingly. Abundantly so, they receive an explicit eyeful of the (irreparable) damage. Slowly but surely, puzzle pieces of disbelief in his head start to join their counterparts of reality.

"No,"

Never has Luffy seen a puncture so wide and so horrifying before. It's one hell of a hole! Not one bit subtle. Maybe, just maybe the Magu Magu no Mi fruit is truly omnipotent? It's not entirely untrue, if too much of an exaggeration.

Shuddering suddenly, the usually naïve captain's unusually morbid imagination demonstrates how he could easily fit his head through it.

"No, no way, hell no,"

Honestly, he hasn't seen this kind of severity since the Thriller Bark incident featuring his First Mate. It frightens then, and this frighten him now. It simply scares the hell out of him that he doesn't and wouldn't need Chopper to clarify the situation. He actually understands what's going on. What Sabo did (once again). What might happen. What could-

"Sabo!"

-the young man falls down unwillingly (body/gravity/time all against him). With knees buckling non-stop, there's no choice for him but to crash land abruptly to the floor. His body sways again like weightless leaves—the world spinning beneath his knee caps no doubt. Now, there really is no more time to dwell on questions for Sabo's seconds away from marring up his face on granite surface. All this and more makes Luffy react and rebound. Instantly and supportively besides his brother's right side.

The revolutionary bears no likeness to the strong and swift fighter that accompanied Luffy and their abnormal allies in Impel Down. No resemblance of strength is visible.

His mouth opens, "Sabo, Sabo, are you o-" then quickly clamps down steel shut, all in order to swallow those five letters down his throat, while berating himself (which is rare) for his stupidity. Of course Sabo isn't okay! "Sorry. Didn't mean that." No one in the world would be. For crying out loud, his brother is on the verge of dy-...leaving. Again.

Damnit!

This shouldn't be happening. Truth be told, "shouldn't" is simply a verb expressing a 'possibility' not a certainty. Nonetheless, surely there's someone to blame—someone, somewhere controlling these sick and twisted events but who? Who is it out there with a nasty bone to pick with Sabo? Who's this mentally deranged species that doesn't allow the revolutionary time with his blood brothers?

What is it? The second division commander wonders himself, furious and now on the qui vive that: fate, destiny or a deity is in fact in control of the universe he's been inhabiting for twenty years so far.

Seeing that Ace did not possess the best seat in the house presently, fortunately he hadn't had the chance to witness the violent volcanic intrusion enter and leave his long-thought-dead brother. Later, he just might humourlessly thank the mysterious person for that since he's already going to get enough nightmares as it is. This war is scarring him. Chances are that it'll be as permanent as his irremovable pride of joy behind him.

Alert, mental faculties from the second division commander automatically think of Luffy, then ultimately Sabo. His blonde brother who he saw sky-falling with Luffy today, the one who pushed him out of the way – out of harm's way – Akainu's harm. That alone makes his stomach sink to unbearable depths. This piece of knowledge unsettles him.

 **W** **HERE**  and  **HOW**  is Sabo?

Ace gets his answer, "Fuck no," once he follows everyone's gazes, all their various, expressive eyes seemingly drawn to the new plight of the day. He: Ace, is no longer the centre of attention.

Sabo is: his wound-gaping hole is about as subtle as the aftermath of a Buster Call.

"Hell, no...you're not gonna – you can't-!"

Unable to not dismiss that unmissable revelation, temporarily so wishes he was blind as a bat. The searing image won't be leave his mind any time soon. He can bet his ass and the whole world's on that.

Shock empties out of his chest, immediately being replaced by a surge of responsibility and protection. Springing back to action, in a span of seven seconds he's at his injured brother's side, working alongside Luffy so that they both hold the revolutionary in their arms. They also create a head resting spot, lying between both their touching shoulder's for solely Sabo.

Their Sabo.

In a strained voice, the commander speaks in hopes to get a reaction, "Hey, Sabo, you're," gonna be fine. All right. OK. Are the overused lies he cannot use. His brother's no idiot. "not a weaklin'. Never have been, okay? So you will – you have to – you can't-" grounding himself to a halt, Ace is going off track. He's unable to retain calm and certainty when his filtered doubts scream and underline that the situation at hand is not.

What is more is that he didn't get a reaction.

"Sabo, you still there?" the worrying voice, belonging to Luffy asks. The captain even runs his hands through the blonde curly hair and hastily on the revolutionary's upper back, still getting no reply in return.

The duo seize up.

Oh, God, no. Don't let it be so.

As though it is synchronised, their faces fall forlorn and become freaked out. Their mouths feel as dry as the sandy deserts in Alabasta. In this second, the daunting realisation that their brother is  **gone**  renders their heart beats erratic.

Ace's tempo is much more irregular than Luffy's since, he realises he is causing Sabo this agony; he's the idiot who let his temper get the better of him and thus allowed Akainu wind him up and to target his loved ones. He's inadvertently caused his brother's death. This awakening punches his own gut with the force the fucking Admiral used and stays there, eating away his soul, spirit and mind.

He's so sorry.

Very, very sorry.

He'll burst at the seams if he can't tell Sabo that.


	2. but I won't die.

Q: When do people die?

A:  _'It's when...they_ _are_ _forgotten.'_

Dr. Hiluluk

Damn.

_So this is it then? It's happening. Today. Now. Right now. Knew I'd die one day. No one dies forever. Fountain of youth was just a stupid myth pirates inven-_

-momentarily separating from his (and their) thoughts, he coughs thunderingly with difficulty, indirectly reassuring them—setting their heart's regular tempo (there's a gasp of relief and a spluttering apology which makes no sense). His sounds remind them he's still there. Here on earth.

If his memory serves him right then, the revolutionary recalls how the youngest one arrived at his sides first, only to be followed seconds later from the eldest.

It's comforting, he may as well think, to have the two of him by his side (for the last time), supporting him together when he's at his weakest. So gathering his thoughts for a few seconds he pauses, mentally apologising for his silence but, he needs just a few precious seconds to dwell on what to say and how to say it. His mind does reel at the words that'll heal, console and uplift them rather than guilt.

Two of Sabo's arms currently draping over their shoulder moves at will, the hands settling to grip the duo's shoulders in a vice-like hold. His remaining strength is unrelenting, more or less so than the sly strangle of a python. Presently, he's simply unable and unwilling to let go of his foundations; nevertheless, he's no idiot: an idiot wouldn't be able to understand Ivankov's bleary then teary-eyed expression (his mascara runs down his cheeks horribly). An idiot wouldn't be able to understand the doctor's hopeless expression (that particular shake of head is universal).

_Yeah, this is it. I can tell._

Bluntly put, time is not in his (their) hands. Sabo's no extraterrestrial Time Lord who travels though space and time. Still, he wishes he was so he could re-fix this whole badly-turned scenario. Such is life, right? Despite balancing and tiptoeing on a thin beam of determined time, he'll make it count—every last minute—and passing second.

Gently pushing his leaning-self away from them, still down on his bruised knees, he holds their shoulders at arms length (much more closer in proximity though), steadying himself also. Sabo briefly closes his eyes against the growl of pain this wakes in his remaining limbs.

Determined to look them both in the eyes (which is no easy task) as he speaks and in turn when they do, he discover solely by what he deciphers on their faces that he has to at the very least make them smile once more. Sabo's known since the beginning that their face were meant for country-mile sized grins which slyly affect others whether they realise in time or not.

Profound words were meant to unleash out his mouth but, "Weird," his voice breathes out in wonder, instead, like a child. Surprised, he didn't notice yet. "Seen you cry...only once, Ace."

Non pulsed, the commander doesn't know what to make of that. In fact, he hadn't realised his bleary-eyed state (though he did notice Luffy's). He'd been too preoccupied thinking he'd never be able to apologise. Shit-scared Sabo had gone without a goodbye. Plus, he gave up fighting the slow build up of waterworks behind his eyes – now is not the time to uphold something as stupid as pride.

"And you, of course…live up to your nickname, don't you?" Crybaby: the nickname. The almost term of endearment the youngest knows by heart since those days. He can't forget, despite Sabo's amicable tone (which'll last how long?). Luffy's eyes (more bleary-eyed than Ace's) close in pain that's more psychological than emotional. This habit of him losing his loved ones is an issue.

Didn't he promise (as much as blubber) long ago upon a cliff to get ' _stronger and stronger and stronger'_ so that these issues wouldn't happen?

Referring back to short time at hand, Sabo directs his attention to the commander again. His look is nothing if not expectant. Nodding his head, Ace does question inwardly,  _h_ _ow_ _'d he_ _know?_

The commander digresses, "Years, Sabo, ten years and I finally see you. Somehow you make an entrance by falling outta the godman sky with Luffy and random prisoners to this godamn war...I'm s'ppose to be-was meant to be...but instead it's," he swallows a laugh of helplessness. "Sabo, this is crazy!"

The blonde brother cracks a smile, tingeing with mirth. "We live in a crazy world, Ace...people like you and Luffy exist, after all"

It's a struggle not to mimic Sabo's smile then. Ace can't help it. He really, really can't.

Nonetheless, the commander wants to say something else. He wants to say everything else; however, there's so many words—not enough time – not enough minutes – not enough seconds in a minute to say what he wishes to.

So instead, he says nothing.

"S'okay, Ace...don't hav'ta...if you don't wanna,"

Despite himself, the commander stares straight into infuriating, insightful eyes which have always did manage to seep silently through his study, stubborn exterior. Man, if he knew, all those months ago, that his vengeful quest would eventually cause a war, and this...

There's an interruption – a declaration. Thank God for the teen of rubber Luffy who lays down the essentials his older brother can't, "We love you. You're are brother. Always have been – always will be. W-we won't forget you, Sabo."

Salty tears start to becoming a tangible taste upon his tongue. Unashamed, Sabo sniffs, his own two eyes a moistening mess recently affected solely by words. Unbeknownst to the black-haired pirates, his bolt unbolts a bit. Their true as blue attitude towards him put him at ease, unscrewing little nuts inside him which then unravel his emotions. Reprieve the biggest of them all.

_So they still consider me their brother, through and through, after everything_

"Thanks, s'all I needed to hear."

An interruption occurs, "Don't," die. "Sabo, just don't. Y-your not s-seriously gonna leave off without saying...saying something like-"

"Not your faults, don't blames yourselves, both are still...precious t'me...both mean world t'me, sorry for not...not seein' you sooner?" he coughs wetly and weakly, his blonde brows furrowing. "Th-thought you could tell."

The revolutionary pauses suddenly, involuntarily experiencing the tempo of his heart beat go slower. Time is of the essence. Weary, he leans forwards on their shoulders as before, attempting so badly to win a losing battle against his body.

Sabo's tone is lower than ever; his voice just manages to be hearable, "S-sorry to sound fussy but, promise...both of you...don't-try not to forget me."

"Whatever you want.

Taken aback by those words, Ace and Luffy visibly finch a bit – hurt they seem. How the hell could Sabo say that? Neither blink their non-dry eyes as they exchange apprehensive yet, accepting looks. They reply, "We promise." meaning every word.

Blurredly visualising three Fates with scissors, playfully stroking with his Thread of life, Sabo quells his expiration as long as he's able, using borrowed time, without their consent, willing also his words to be coherent, even though it comes to a point where his ragged breaths are near non-existent.

"As long...as you remember me," whispers Sabo, so slowly, for the final time. "I'll never die."

(If so, then why does he...physically?)

As though it is synchronised, their vice-grip clutches on his tailcoat lose their cobra like grip, when the revolutionary arm's slack around them, his fingers lifeless, shoulders slowly slagging as well as breathing now fading and faded. Their hairs at the base of their necks stand on end, like frozen icicles hanging from a wintry island's caves.

The thread has been cut.

So laying the now-corspe upon the ground with utmost care is what and all they can do. And there it is: the peaceful smile frozen in perfect time.

Straight away, the pirate commander shuts his eyes close and tosses his his head side to side. Numb disbelief gives way to heartache whereby his own blood-pumping organ seems to go beyond ballistic, all in order to rip it's extensions and crawl its slow way up his throat and out his mouth. What is more is that he discovers that it's difficult to draw a single breath.

His little brother on the other hand...

"He's gone. He's gone for real." Luffy says frenziedly, "F-forever." afterwards he runs his ten fingers absently through his hair, and the sensation brings forth the last time Sabo had ruffled and teased his locks in Impel Down, his hands at the time welcomed and his face so prideful when he said to him, 'That's my brother! Stronger than ever now, right?'

_Never. I'll never forget you – I can't!_

As is his nature, the captain weeps audibly, intertwining his fingers with Sabo's and resting his head as close as he possibly can to him. It's still no use. Magical tears don't work in real life as they do in fairy tales. Their brother has indeed died in his and Ace's arms.

_You idiot,_  he thinks,  _you're an idiot for makin' us promise that—something that needed no guarantee. How the hell can we forget you?_

Gritting his teeth in extreme grief, Ace starts to feel his third batch of tears ready to explode out of her eyes.

_How was I ever supposed to?_

He too wants to mourn like his little brother by howling rightfully like a distressed banshee; however, their enemy won't let him. Their enemy a sky-scraping tall, tough bastard who's actually managed to survive an earth-shattering blow from Whitebeard by the skin of his teeth.

Hell-bent on the 'demons' of the earth, his eyes fix themselves forever on the two black-haired people – unarmed – unalert – unprepared, while his red-trousered legs propel him faster and forwards. This is no surprise after all, the Admiral's intent to be exact. Absolute justice has no issues these days when it comes to kicking men when they're already ravine-level down. Ace is pretty sure he can hear Marco's, Vista's, Jinbei's urgent voices bellowing at him so hard to do a runner with Luffy – now!

**. . . .**

Even though he's not the only one, the young captain instantly becomes drawn right into quagmire; his eyes are a mixture of intrigue and fear.

Déjà vu!

_It like that time when_ , he thinks briefly, then refuses to remember. That  _time_  is unspeakable. Nonetheless, this moment is familiar. Way too nostalgic. Instead of a beam of light emerging from a foot, the present gifts him a sight of hot molten rock that'll melt right through Sabo's-

"NOOO!"

Tears out his throat, reverberating to everyone's ears – reminding them that Monkey D. Luffy is a pirate indeed but a kid.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE! FUCKIN' LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Helplessness is a restraint; Ace hates restraints – loathes them; nevertheless, it what he feels now. He can't do a thing about it – that! He can't run over there and make change cause it'll make Sabo's sacrifice all for nothing and that...that's not happening. The commander gets that but the young captain, "Damnit, Ace! Lemme go! Lemme go!" is a shitstorm of no future vision and struggle. Not ceasing in strength, his arms are a stronghold as they tightly restrain Luffy, desperately willing his stupid brother (thrashing still to get to Sabo) to get his shit together and understand that-

"P-PLEASE DON'T-" oh, man. He's begging now.

Akainu turns and frowns at the sole rubbery wailer, "Don't be alarmed: this is JUSTICE!" sinister is the tug on his lips. "Behold!"

If one must behold something then, one thing's for sure – his foot is hotter than hell itself.

The magma exuding around the Admiral's entire foot, through and through, descends down and down, inches nearer, very close to the corpse, seconds away from dripping lava unintentionally, and perhaps five seconds away from scalding a skull intentionally, ready to demonstrate his standpoint, ready to showcase the change Marines need now...

Shame his message isn't sent.

His foot never reaches the blonde locks. Oh no. It never could – it had no chance. No chance in hell when a shadow appears behind him, then before him. No time to react. All he can do is witness two livid pupils, recognise his attacker and afterwards accept a tanned fist, as black as the darkness of coal, propelling straight for his face once – then twice.

Thrown back in surreal, slow motion, Akainu's consciousness fights to awaken fully and not partly; however, the crashing landing he gets when he's done flying ungracefully does leave a dent in his noggin. Devil fruit user or not – all spectators had heard the sickening crack beneath flesh.

Never have Ace and Luffy loved the old man's punches so much till now.

"Scram you two, IDIOTS!" Garp offers them and his friend a thumb up. "I swear on my life that he'll get a proper burial. It's...the least I can do."

Never have they loved the old man so much till now.

Ace and Luffy take one last glance back—their hearts still heavy, before their feet make them clear out of the site. They'll never omit him out of memory. Never. All the while though, Sengoku juggles with two palms the war and world and waywardness today, he wonders,  _Why'd you react now?_ then sighs heavily. As a dirty curse escapes his mouth, the aged man visions (reluctantly so) on the paperwork and jail sentence he'll have to give his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I so don't know who to feel more sorry for...Also, I really needed a Garp redemption/intervention thing so: here it is! Thanks for reading! Please REFLECT on what you've read then, REVIEW by typing your thoughts or/and criticisms.


	3. Chapter 3

Q: When do people die?

A:  _'It's when...they_ _are_ _forgotten.'_

Dr. Hiluluk

For days on end, the sky above did absolutely nothing to console the weather. It neglected it. Ignored, the weather seemed to blubber annoyingly in depths of ridiculousness for attention. Completely unconcerned and unabashed, it gave no damns to the earthlings below who suffered its atmospheric conditions. The downpour never ceased and never paused. Such a torrent reminded people of the brightest star gone out of commission temporarily, as well as unsubtly reflect a grim, grieving mood. This is why the day the reunion is set, a fiery pirate can't help but think that,  _'Life's a bitch.'_ once sun miraculously makes an appearance—it's vacation apparently over. It reaches from pole to pole. Its unmissable colour of yellowness, and warmth tiny remembrances of someone unforgettable.

_...but absent._

Absence. There's an absence of a person; however, there's an absence of sound. Complete silence in front of the well-cared for grave – his grave, that is. Both pirates sat before it are not quiet people by a long shot. Such a virtue could never fit into their nature. Yet the vestigial flicker of mute despair since that day is still felt like throbbing wound that refuses to turn into a scar. Slouching against each other from shoulder to shoulder, Ace and Luffy direct their sights on a bottle of sake (that wouldn't stop trembling in the eldest hands) and a wooden box (that wouldn't stop shaking in the youngest hands) placed near the burial place. Luffy, noticeably stronger from a year of training breaks the quietness in the air, voicing out words unbelievable.

"It should'a been me."

Unexpected.

"I'm an idiot."

Uncharacteristic.

"I really am. What was I thinking? Dammit, if I...maybe if I didn't stop to pick up the vivre card then maybe...maybe he'd be-"

Unheeded.

"You idiot..." Ace remains composed, as though the previous words did not ignite an unabated storm throughout his entire being. Still, grasshopper-green grass remains trapped and strangled between his severely clenched knuckles. He's holding himself in check. Why?

"Ace...?"

_I knew something was up when you shut your mouth. Goddamnit, Luffy, how long have you been thinking like that? Not this whole year...No. You always manage to bounce back._

"Idiot." the elder pirate repeats, "You're using the wrong word. It's 'could' not 'should'. It could've been you but it wasn't." since Ace made sure of that. "It could've been me but obviously wasn't." since Sabo made sure of that. "S-sabo...Sabo's dead. Dead Luffy. Dead as a plant, meat, painting, even frickin' tissue! Hell, he's as dead as the old man's dream of us ever becoming damned Marines."

"I know."

Ace's words come out too sharply. "Do you?"

"'Course I do. I'm just...it's not like...It's been a year, Ace." Luffy hardens his voice to steel as well as his face, not wanting his older brother to find another slip up elsewhere. "I've been training so I could get stronger and stronger and stronger. I had time just like  **you**  to get over it."

_He's being defensive._

Ace lips form into a tightrope walking line like the one he's standing on all of a sudden. However, it feels more like he's going to find the tip of the iceberg he never expected to find in someone upbeat and carefree like his brother.

"No, no you didn't." his voice stays calm. "Don't lie to me, Luffy."

"I'm not lying."

"You haven't gotten over it. And if you did then you've done it the wrong way."

Ace completely misses the tension in Luffy's shoulder's. Instead, he focuses on the unnatural ice in his brother's tone. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have 'you' gotten over it?"

"I...this isn't about me." the posed question is acceptable enough; nevertheless, the glare in his brown eyes seem accusatory, totally unlike him. Defence appears to be a belt encircling Luffy's being for whatever reason. "Look, I know you think I'm ripping you a new one but I'm not. I trying to get through your head that-"

"Have you gotten over it?"

_Damn it._

"Why aren't you—you're not getting the-"

"Have you?"

"God, stop with that question, Luffy. I'm trying to-"

"Did you?"

Finally, enough is enough. "Shut the hell up!" his voice is raw and real, and Ace fails to reel in the callousness that emerges next. "For fuck's sake we're sittin' in front of his godamn grave! Think I've forgotten him?"

Two pirate fall silent.

As though lighting from the sky electrocuted them, both brothers twitch instantly and painfully at those words. Those unleashed, cruel-but-so-damn-true words which return them to the insufferable muted despair neither enjoyed today or months ago.

"Fine, you got me." admits Luffy, his voice too brittle for his age. "I'm not over it, Ace. I'm not."

Noting his brother's own menace towards the grass he gripped in his knuckles, Ace tones down all temper that could ever enter in his voice. With his instincts activated, his arm by itself settles around the younger pirate's shoulders. Without conscious thought Luffy immediately slumps against his older brother.

"That's because you're suppose to deal with stuff, not get over them. Getting over is just jumping over and far away from the problem but trust me it's still there. Like," Ace furrows his brows once the gears in his head were brainstorming. "let's say there's some random dog shit on your walking path, right?"

"Okay?"

"Well, you could get over it by jumping over it, or you could even sidestep it. But, it's still there. Luffy, getting over stuff don't work for pirates like us. Been there done that." twice in fact when remembering that Sabo wasn't the only person he lost in the war. "If it wasn't for the strange yet wise people on my crew, I'd probably be in the same sorry state like you're in."

"...I get that."

The freckled man directs a cool, assessing gaze towards his brother. "Sure about that?"

"Uh-huh." murmurs Luffy, casting his eyes on the grave intently. "I'm sure. Now that I think about it...I was an idiot for jumping over it and trying...trying to forget him. That's not what he'd want."

"Damn straight, it sure as hell isn't what he'd want or...what he said."

_**As long...as you remember me, I'll never die** _

"Say, Luffy, I hear from Rayleigh that you've developed a new signature move. Gomu Gomu Tornado I think it is." out of place, Portgas D. Ace sounds conversational.

Rightfully confused Luffy blinks twice at the older pirate, "Uh, yeah?" wondering where the hell his brother went. "That's it. But I heard that you've got a new, cool move too, Ace. Whirlwind Hell sounds cool but, you're copying me with the air thing."

The older pirate doesn't rise to the bait. "Funny how that happened, hmm? Both us using air – the king of freedom. Guess we'll always remember, and never forget. " Ace waits for a while, hoping his brother will catch on to his words one day but, his grin is as wide as the blue ocean when Luffy catches on today.

"Guess that means he'll never die."

Just as he promised. Just as they remembered, as they would always remember him: Sabo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the next, final part finally updated. Hope you welcomed the conclusion to this all! Please REFLECT on what you've read then, REVIEW by typing your thoughts or/and criticisms.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: No need to worry! There will be 2 more chapters after this. Besides, this short-three-chaptered fanfic to be was originally an alternative to a Saving My Brother(s) scene but, it's been revised and re-written recently. Now it's a heart-constricting moment where Sabo (a revolutionary who met up and aided and fought alongside Luffy during Impel down) dies at Marineford. Instead of Ace. Thanks for reading! Please REFLECT on what you've read then, REVIEW by typing your thoughts or/and criticisms.


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